1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to handling heavy equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for lifting welding machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Engine-driven welding machines are large and heavy, and therefore care must be used when handling them. To facilitate moving them, enginedriven welding machines often include a lifting eye that is rigidly fixed to the machine frame. The lifting eye is located such that the welding machine is balanced when lifted by a crane hook or the like. To be useful, the lifting eye must be readily accessable. Normally, that requires that it be outside and above the welding machine top cover.
The presence of a lifting eye on the top of a welding machine has some disadvantages. For example, the lifting eye adds to the overall height of the welding machine. Consequently, larger containers are required for shipping a given number of the machines. In addition, the lifting eye prevents stacking the welding machines one on top of another.
To alleviate the problems associated with fixed lifting eyes, it is known to use moveable components. A commercially available welding machine has a lifting plate that is slidable between raised and lowered positions. One end of the plate has a rather small opening through it. When the lifting plate is in the lowered position, the plate and hole are completely within the machine. The plate can be pulled upwardly to expose the opening for lifting purposes. To retain the plate in the raised position, two screws must be inserted through the plate and an adjoining machine structural member. Conversely, when it is desired to lower the lifting plate, the screws must first be removed. The small size of the lifting plate opening and the requirement of installing and removing screws every time the plate is moved are important drawbacks of the prior lifting plate design.